Conviction Review Attorney Jobs

Arlington County's Commonwealth's (CWA) Office is seeking to fill a full-time limited duration Conviction Review Attorney to dedicate a year to investigating convictions obtained by the Office of the Commonwealth's Attorney that may have been based on questionable testimony and/or evidence.

The Commonwealth's Attorney's Office for Arlington County and the City of Falls Church is dedicated to pursuing justice and protecting the rights and safety of citizens of the County and its visitors. As part of that mission, we work to enhance public safety and welfare through the vigorous enforcement of criminal laws in a fair, compassionate, ethical and just manner. We maintain a pro-active role in our community by working to prevent crime in addition to its mandate to prosecute with integrity, equality and excellence.

The conviction review process is a specialized, time-consuming legal process that involves the following specific duties:

• Conducting a thorough review of files, records, evidence and testimony in those cases;
• Recommending courses of action based on review of these cases (e.g., exoneration);
• Testing the validity of evidence (e.g., analyzing chains of custody);
• Determining acts and sources of any intentional or unintentional wrongdoing in the development and prosecution of these cases;
• Determining if and when a victim should be contacted regarding the conviction review process; and
• Identifying and defining the involvement of the former police officers in the casework and the conviction of defendants prosecuted by the Office of the CWA;
• Performing other tasks that may be assigned as needed to complete the post-conviction review process.

• Experience with post-conviction review work; and
• Extensive knowledge of Virginia Law enforcement or courtroom experience including trial, legal research and clerk experience.
• Experience in the practice of Virginia criminal law;

A background check will be conducted on all candidates who are finalists for the position. It may include checks of the following: criminal record, driving record, education, professional licensure, and credit check and may require signing a release authorizing the County to obtain this information. Any offer of employment may be contingent upon a favorable review of the applicant's driving record and criminal history.

Applicants who have questions or need assistance with the application may telephone (703) 228-3500 or visit the Human Resources Department. Our staff will be happy to work with you to enter your application into the system. Public access computers are available at all County Libraries, and in the Human Resources Department.

The examination process for this position may include: (1) training and experience evaluation; (2) written and oral examination; (3) personal interview; (4) performance test/work sample; and/or (5) physical examination.

Applicants with disabilities may request reasonable accommodation during the application or selection process. Please call the ADA Coordinator at 703-228-3559 (voice) or email [email protected].